Sha'Carri Richardson: 3 possible punishments Olympic star could face after assault on boyfriend Christian Coleman

World 100m champion Sha'Carri Richardson could face possible suspensions for assault on boyfriend Christian Coleman following surveillance video released by TMZ.

Following the emergence of the surveillance video of Sha'Carri Richardson shoving her boyfriend Christian Coleman, during a July 27 incident at an airport in Seattle, Pulse Sports has garnered three possible punishments the Olympic star could face, which could be detrimental to her career.

1 - Loss of Brand endorsements

Sha'Carri Richardson risks losing her major brand endorsements and sponsorships, as most major brands frown on 'criminal' controversies, especially involving the police and other law enforcement agencies.

The reigning world 100m champion is currently a brand ambassador for Nike, Turtles, WHOOP, and Sprite, and she serves as an athlete advisor for Alexis Ohanian's women-only track league, ATHLOS.

2 - Jail Term

Despite Christian Coleman declining to be a victim and press charges, Sha'Carri Richardson still risks a jail term if the police or Coleman decides to revisit the case.

The surveillance footage released by TMZ has shown the severity of the track queen's assault and why more actions should have been taken.

In the police report, after being interviewed by Port of Seattle police at the airport, Coleman stated he had gotten in a heated argument with Richardson, whom he said was his girlfriend of over two years. When he was asked to elaborate on what he meant by “heated,” he declined to do so.

He stated “nothing happened” and “denied anything physical had occurred.” He declined to provide his name or share his identification with the officer and participate further in the investigation.

While this may provide some assurance regarding Coleman's stance on the situation, a future or ongoing incident involving Richardson could lead to the case being reopened, resulting in a definite jail term.

3 - Suspension by the USA Track and Field (USATF)

Sha'Carri Richardson could be suspended by the USA Track and Field (USATF) - the governing body for track and field, long-distance running, and race walking in the United States.

The USATF is the National Governing Body recognized by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and can suspend US athletes found guilty of disciplinary actions.

The USATF can sanction athletes for domestic violence, particularly if it falls under their Safe Sport policy. The USATF Safe Sport program addresses various forms of misconduct, including physical and emotional abuse, which can encompass domestic violence. 

Although the USATF has yet to issue a statement on Richardson's assault on Coleman, it remains to be seen if actions will be taken. Hopefully, there won't be a suspension that'll see her miss out on the World Championships in Tokyo in September.